Jung Jae-il is a South Korean pianist, guitar player, and multi-genre songwriter best known for his work as a film composer. Born in Seoul, South Korea, on May 7, 1982, he began playing piano at 3 years old and guitar at 9 years old. During his teenage years, he studied at the Seoul Jazz Academy. Jung Jae-il initially worked as a live musician and briefly performed with the band Puri, making an appearance on the group's sophomore record in 2007. However, it was his work as a composer for film and television that truly launched his career, with 2014's award-winning drama Sea Fog marking his debut in the movie industry. Three years later, he wrote the music for director Bong Joon-ho's Okja. Jung Jae-il and Boon Joon-ho teamed up once again for 2019's Parasite, a wildly successful film whose soundtrack featured tense, minimalist piano compositions. Parasite won four Oscars at the 92nd Academy Awards, with the song "Soju One Glass" being shortlisted for the category of "Best Original Song." Jung Jae-il contributed similarly eerie sounds to the soundtrack of Squid Game, a 2021 television series that quickly became one of the year's highest-viewed programs.
